Method of forming artificial-leg sockets.



'wafwessa J. T. APGAR.

METHOD OF FORMING ARTIFICIAL LEG SOCKETS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15. 1914.

1,153,532. PatentedSept. 14, 1915.

r affos neysAyi V Ion-arr. Arena, or nnw YORK,.-1\T. Y.

canto 7 METHOD OF FORMING ARTIFICIAL-LEG- SOCKETS.

1 .dtpplicationifiledDecember 15 1914. Seria1'No.877,420.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN T. Aroan, a :citipen of the United Statesaof America,-:residi ing at Manhattan borough, :city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Forming ArtificialeLeg Sockets, of which :the following is a .full, clear,ia-nd exact description.

This invention relates to a method of producing artificial leg sockets :for the stumps of amputated limbs, and hasfor an :objeot to facilitate the .manufacture of sockets for amputated'limbsby lessening the labor and cost of the productionof the same and providing 7 greater accuracy of fit.

With my improved method'itis possible to produce a socket that will be anexact counterpart of the stump. upon which the socket is placed, this being the chief object of the invention.

"With the methods now in use it is extremely difiicult, if not impossible, to form a socket that will accurately fitthe stump for which it is designed, as will hereinafter appear-.1 1 v I will now proceed to describe my improved method in detail and will point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, wherein- Figure 1 illustrates, in elevation, a form, and, in section, a cast used in the production of a socket according to my method; Fig. 2 illustrates in elevation, the form after having been removed from the socket, and, in section, a layer of leather applied thereto; Fig. 3 illustrates, in elevation, the form and applied layer of leather, and in section a layer of fabric; Fig. 4 illustrates, in elevation, the form in condition for the application of the final layer to produce the socket, the said layer being shown in section; and Fig. 5 illustrates in perspective the completed socket-member.

Before describing my improved method, I will briefly explain the usual method now in use, such explanation being deemed neces- After the cast has been removed from the that line of work.

stump, itis used as a mold, plaster-of-Paris being poured in to produce a form that will be the counterpart of the stump. As the fin- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept]. 14, 1915.

ishedsocket has to be somewhat larger than the stump, say one.inch,the form obtained from the cast or mold is covered with wet plaster-of-Paris and when said covering has dried it is trimmed down by one skilled in Notwithstanding the skill of the workman, it is very difficult to trim the said covering to the exact shape or conformation of the form covered by the plaster-of-Paris and hence the leather or rawhide socket, which is fitted to the trimmed form just described, will not fit and pain to the wearer will result.

lVith my improved method it is possible toform a socket that will accuratelyfit the stump and I will now describe my improved method of producing same. To obtain the cast of the stump of the amputated limb, I

wrap the same with a bandage in superposed layers, which I first place in a thin mixture of plaster-of-Paris. stump has been wrapped to the desired ex tent, I allow theabandage to dry with the result that I obtain a cast or mold such as indicated by 1 in Fig. 1, of the exact shape of the stump to be fitted.

After the cast has been made I fill it with a comparatively thin mixture of plaster-of- Paris and water and allow it to harden. After the mixture has hardened, there will result a form having the exact shape of the stump to be fitted, such a form being indicated by 2 in Fig. 1. After the form 2 has been removed from the cast, I wrap upon the same a comparatively thin layer or covering of leather, indicated by 3, Fig. 2. Before applying the layer 3, I soak it in water until it is soft and pliable. When applying the layer 3, I draw it tightly upon the mold and secure the abutting edges 3 (Fig. 2) by tacks or otherwise. After applying the leather layer 3, I apply a layer 4 of fabric and secure it to the layer 3 in any desirable manner. I then apply a wet layer of sole or other leather 5 over the layer 4; and bake the same. The form is now in condition for the final step in the process, namely, applying the sheet of raw-hide 7 to form the socket (see Fig. 4), so that the completed socket is composed of a leather foundation with a raw-hide covering. After the raw After the assume the contour of the form and will be 7 the exact shape of the stump to which the socket will be applied. In some cases I prefer to perforate the initial layer 3 as at 6.

When I apply the layer 7, I secure it to the cast in any desirable manner, as by tacks, for instance (Fig. 4). After the baking, I remove the leather base 5 with its raw-hide outer layer 7 and the fastenings and take the now formed socket from the form by spreading it open. The socket is now in condition for final completion, the final operations upon the socket having nothing to do with the above-mentioned method of forming the socket member or base, which I will term for the sake of clearness the basemember. The provision of the perforations 6 provide an outlet for the steam during the baking process; moreover the generated steam, due to its escape, will keep the inner form 2 moist so that it will not crack. In some cases (small sockets for instance) the perforations 6 can be omitted. After the layers 5 and 7 have been removed, the form can be destroyed or otherwise disposed of,

as no two sockets are apt to be alike.

course it will be understood that the finished socket is connected to an artificial limb-member 1n the usual manner.

Having now described my lnvention what ent is:

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. The method of forming the base-member of sockets for the stumps of amputated limbs, consisting in making a'cast of the stump, of molding a form from said cast, of applying a layer of relatively thin perforated leather while wet, to form cast, of applying a layer of fabric to said layer of leather, of applying a layer of raw-hide while wet to said layer of fabric, and baking the mass until dry.

2. The method of producing the basemember of a socket for the stump of an amputated limb, consisting in first applying to the stump superposed layers of fabric soaked. in plaster-of-Paris and water to form a cast, then removing said cast when dry; then molding a form from said cast, then applying a layer of raw-hide while wet to said form, and finally baking the mass until dry.

3. An improved method of forming duplicates of the stumps of artificial limbs, which consists in applying to the stump of the limb layers of fabric to form a cast, and binding the layers together with a plastic material before said cast is removed from the stump.

Signed at New York city, N. Y., this 14: day of December, 1914.

, JOHN T. APGAR.

WVitnesses: p Y

MAURICE BLOCK, EDWARD A. JARV S,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington. D. 6.? 

